Songs of Pain and Comfort
by harsens-rob
Summary: Spanderverse story 18: Glory viciously strikes out at the gang which causes Spike to reassess his relationships, especially with Xander.
1. Normality, or the Attempt

Disclaimer: Legal stuff, don't own characters, haven't made any money, this is for entertainment purposes, no profit earned, lawyers go away. –_kisses-_

**You can comment on this or any Spanderverse stories by visiting the Spanderverse forum under the Buffy topic! Emails are welcome as are honest reviews. I respond to all correspondence.**

POV: Shifts Perspective

Spoiler Alert: There are tidbits from past episodes and _especially_ the Spanderverse series.

**WARNING ALERT: **While I usually don't feel the need to include warnings, this story contains disturbing images of injuries sustained during torture. There will also be guy on guy romance (which should be obvious by the Spanderverse moniker), if you find that squicksome.

_I don't intend to include such a warning on every story from now on so just assume Gay Content applies._

Notes: Story number nineteen in the Spanderverse-universe, following "_Coming Together_". Everything from the television series through the defeat of Adam also occurred as depicted, in the Spanderverse.

People's thoughts are depicted in _italics_. You'll find emphasis depicted with an underline.

More Notes: BIG thanks to Joss, the ME creative team and the crew of one of the best shows on television. WE MISS YOU! And THANK YOU JOSS and DH COMICS for Buffy: Season 8!

Thanks to the authors of Fanfiction, wherever you may post. It's probable that I've read at least one of your stories somewhere. I apologize for recycling concepts inadvertently from the plentitude of stories I've read.

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**Songs of Pain and Comfort**

Ch 1 – Normality, or the Attempt

**The two weeks after Joyce's funeral was, in some ways, even worse for Buffy than the one before it. Perhaps she just needed the time to grasp what had happened or process it or something. She didn't know; she wasn't taking any more psychology courses after the last debacle. What she did know is that not being with Dawn in the house all day, focused on comforting her or keeping her busy, was more difficult than she had expected. She'd thought that with both of them getting back to classes it would distract her from the gaping hole in her middle, but that wasn't the way it worked out. **

**She missed her mother too much. She worried about what Glory was going to do next too much. **

**The only way she knew how to deal was to try not to feel anything, but that was easier planned than actually done. She found herself having to take a deep breath before anything she said to keep from snapping at people, especially Giles. She needed the Council to come up with ****something**** and she knew they were working hard at it. She knew it, but it didn't help; she was still fighting against a god and trying to keep the Knights from getting wind of Dawn's nature or making things worse by getting in the way. They had certainly gone low profile since Travers arranged with the government to deport the ones they'd taken into custody. But they were out there, she knew. Sniffing around with their magic and watching her from a distance. They might be sneaky, but she was the Slayer and could feel their eyes on her when she patrolled.**

**Tara wasn't helping her mood any, either. It wasn't on purpose, of course. And she understood everything the Wicca said when it came to her proclamations that they couldn't try teleporting Glory again or delving into dark magicks to fight her. But Buffy was desperate and found herself siding with Willow; they may need to risk a little evil hoodoo to fight the greater danger. Tara was pretty adamant in her views though and she'd seen Willow glare daggers at her when the blonde's back was turned. It was added stress that no one in the Scooby gang needed right now.**

**At least Anya and Xander seemed to have accommodated themselves to their break up. No one was more surprised than she when it had come out that they'd been 'just friends' for the past month or so. They still seemed to be getting along just as well as when they'd been a couple, maybe even better. She wondered why her relationships with her exes couldn't be so easy and comfortable. **

_**At least, **_**she mused, **_**I got my own hair back**_**. After the hospital incident, she didn't feel any need to continue with her black locks and although she did consider another color, she just wanted her own look back.**

**Buffy snapped back to where she was when her Folklore and Modern Myths teacher dismissed the course for the day. She hoped she hadn't missed anything too important. As she gathered up her books, she felt the wound in her shoulder tug a bit. It had completely healed for the most part, but some of the muscle had been torn pretty badly during the impalement at the hospital. It remained a reminder that for all her strength, Buffy was completely outclassed.**

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**Dawn recited the paragraph from her history book as requested, but it was done with no enthusiasm and even less energy. American History was boring to begin with. After all, our nation wasn't exactly exotic. More to the point though, she had way more important things to deal with: her mother, Glory, her being some mystic Key…who cared about this stuff when there was such bigger issues. **

**Finally it was over and she was allowed to resume her seat. The teacher, probably just to be a pain in the rump, asked a follow up question which Dawn answered dutifully. When Todd was called to read the next page, Dawn was finally allowed to get lost back inside her head.**

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**Ben had pulled a double shift again at the hospital. The past weeks he'd heard several differing accounts of the recent excitement on the fifth floor and he was wracked with guilt. Glory, being the bitch she was, had murdered Doctor Waitefield in Internal Medicine. He'd known the doctor by reputation mostly; a sour man with a god complex, he'd never-the-less had been a brilliant doctor and now the people who could have benefited from his expertise were denied that talent.**

**He stripped out of his light blue scrubs and made his way to the shower room off of the doctor's lounge on the fourth floor. The fifth's remained blocked off with police tape as they investigated what had happened. They weren't going to find anything, but they kept sending technicians back and had interviewed everyone at least three times. **

**As he turned the water on and adjusted the temperature, his thoughts were on the big secret he'd learned. He leaned his head against the wall and wished Buffy's sister had never come here.**

**Dawn Summers, somehow, was the mysterious and powerful Key that his twin wanted so badly. Ben had little doubt that if any of Glory's scabs had even an inkling that the Key could be human now, they'd tear apart everyone in their vicinity looking for it. He wished Buffy would get her sister out of town; just run far away, but that must have occurred to her already. There must be some reason that she remained, even being aware of the danger they were in. Ben sighed and worried as he set to scrubbing two days worth of perspiration away.**

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**Rupert Giles read through the priority letter again, shaking his head in disbelief. It was from Quentin and basically lay out that the monk who'd shown up at the Council had remembered another detail; one which Giles would have rather he'd forgotten permanently. Apparently, he'd caught but a glimpse of the Key as it was transported away and only now recalled its strange elongated shape just before vanishing. A shape that might have been 'human-sized' and, perhaps, 'generally humanoid shaped'. The Council wished Giles to look for any strangers in the town of Sunnydale which may be acting oddly…the Key could, possibly, be humanoid.**

**Dawn's identity felt closer to being revealed and he felt a shiver race up his spine. If the Council of Watchers figured it out, they'd send a special operations team in to eliminate her. They probably wouldn't even inform him that they were on their way. **

**For Giles, already wrestling with the possibility that he would have to kill Dawn despite knowing what it would mean for Buffy, the walls were beginning to feel like they were pressing inward. If Dawn had to die to keep Glory from bringing chaos to all reality, then he would do what he had to. But he'd be damned if it wasn't the very last resort they'd turn to and he sure as hell wouldn't allow some anonymous hit-man to make the choice for him or take the responsibility from his shoulders.**

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"**Knock it off," Spike said harshly. He was lying on the bed and trying to enter the vampire rejuvenation sleep he needed. Next to him, plugged into the smelly generator was the Buffybot. Apparently, however, she could still function just fine while recharging.**

"**I don't understand, Spike. You're my lover, am I not supposed to see to your needs?"**

**He sighed. "Look, 'Bot. I understand what you were programmed for, okay? I bloody well was the one who insisted on your…features. But that was when I was stupid. Things have changed."**

"**Define this 'change'," Buffybot responded, smiling.**

_**Always that damned smile, **_**Spike thought. **_**I don't know why I don't just destroy the damned thing. But, damn it, she…or it…does fill up the lonely days. If only I knew how to get rid of the sexual stuff.**_

"**It's like this; I just don't feel the need for sex. Got it? I'm not interested in gettin' off like that anymore. Why don't you just…shut down, or go into stand by or whatever it is you usually do when you're recharging?"**

**Buffybot briefly frowned as her head tilted in thought. "My programming doesn't indicate what I should do when my boyfriend won't engage my programs, Spike. I believe I may need to upgrade my software."**

**Spike rolled his eyes and turned on his side away from his robot. Over his shoulder he said, "Just go to sleep. I sure as hell need to."**

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**Ben stretched out a crick in his neck before getting in behind the wheel of his second rate Corolla. Before he had time to install the key and engage the ignition, a wheedling voice called from the back seat, startling him.**

"**Sir, if you please," Granier simpered, "I have a message from her Mighty Wonderousness. She wishes to inform you of her displeasure with your refusal to assist Grono. She wishes me to ask why you are being so obstinate?"**

"**Get out," Ben scowled as he left the vehicle. A moment later and he had the back door opened and was hauling out the brown robed Halfling by his collar.**

"**P-please, sir…if you could have seen how close Grono came to being torn apart…. Her Gracious Delightfulness can be quite impatient. Surely you can see that it is inevitable that the Key will be obtained. There would be far less pain and death for the mortals you so care about if you would assist."**

"**I will ****never**** help her hurt an inn…uh, hurt anyone by opening that gate."**

"**An…innocent? What an odd thing to almost say, sir."**

"**It was a slip of the tongue," Ben said quickly. Perspiration began dotting his head and above his lip. He was too tired and it was making him clumsy. "W-What I meant, was that a lot of innocents would die if the Key is found by her!"**

"**O-oh, yes…yes, I understand. Well, I must run along."**

**Granier tried to rush off, but Ben grabbed hold of him. He was shaken in the human's clenched fists around the front of his robe.**

"**I-I didn't mean that the Key was an innocent," he insisted.**

"**No! No, sir, of course not. That would be silly. Excuse me," the minion said as he tried to pry Ben's grip from the front of his robe.**

"**You're going to tell her, aren't you? You know what she'll do! How many people will be hurt!"**

"**I-I wouldn't sir! P-please, let go!"**

"**I'm sorry…I can't let you," Ben said as he grabbed the dagger carried by all of Glory's 'helpers'. Before Granier had the chance to respond, Ben was sinking the blade deep into the creature's gut.**

**Granier gasped with the awful pain, feeling the chilled metal sinking deep into his intestines. He groaned and whined wordlessly, clutching at Ben's shoulders. He tried to beg Glory's keeper to stop, but no words would form.**

**Ben again pushed the dagger, causing it to travel even deeper into Granier's mid-section. The dwarf's feeble grip on his shoulders failed and he fell to the tarmac, his eyes shutting with a last grimace. He stared down at his handiwork before looking around for any witnesses to what he'd done. Seeing no one nearby, he yanked on the feet of Glory's minion and tucked the corpse into some thick bushes. Once done, he heaved his empty stomach onto the parking lot blacktop before getting shakily into his car again. A few deep breaths later and he was peeling out of the lot, trying desperately to forget the look in the creature's eyes.**

_**I had no choice, **_**he thought in misery. He'd never wanted to hurt anyone; not really. And he never pictured himself capable of killing another living, thinking being, no matter how obnoxious. But Dawn's safety, the world's safety depended on keeping the secret that the Key was now human. **_**I had no choice. I had no choice, at all.**_

**Ben drove aimlessly around Sunnydale, unable to force himself to return to Glory's penthouse and the bedroom she'd set up for him. He wasn't sure he could look into the other little demon's eyes and not blurt out what he'd done. He still couldn't believe he'd done it; he'd betrayed his oath as a doctor to 'do no harm' and he felt bereft and a sense of disgust with what he'd become.**

**Behind Ben, in the thick bushes, Granier gasped in pain. The wound was deep and bleeding thick black blood, but it wasn't as fatal as it appeared. Fortunately for his kind, the intestines weren't a killing zone and he would heal as long as he didn't bleed out. Perhaps if Ben had gutted him, things would have been different, but he hadn't. **

**He grunted to his feet with difficulty and began the slow trek to his God's penthouse, holding onto his middle and wheezing with every step. Glory needed him; she needed the information that Ben had let slip and only Granier knew of it. He had to survive long enough to impart this knowledge to Her Most Silkiest of Skin before he could let himself rest. **

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End Chapter 1


	2. In the Clutches

**Songs of Pain and Comfort**

Ch 2 – In the Clutches…

**Evening had fallen over Sunnydale when Glory awoke in a cheap motel room. She looked around herself in disappointment, a small groan escaping her.**

_**How could he have found a worse place than that hospital full of the weak and sick, **_**she thought. **_**Honestly, if only I could kick his ass for him, maybe he'd stop purposely pissing me off! And after all that effort I went through to provide him with that darling little room in the penthouse, too…ingrate!**_

**Glorificus left the dank room with the ugly, paisley wall paper and took a look around. She recognized the cheap and tacky Sunnydale Motor Lodge from her walks around town, and her scowl deepened. She didn't understand what Ben could have been doing here. **

_**Unless he managed to snag a date,**_** Glory smiled. **_**Good for you, Benny! Could have shown a little more class, though. Oh, I wonder if it was that Slayer-skank!? Yeah, this is about all she'd deserve for putting out.**_

**She walked out into the parking lot to get her bearings, so she could walk home. Really, she'd have to find a way to make Ben pay for these little indignities…like maybe killing more of his co-workers.**

**Across the lot from her, standing near a battered-looking Coke machine, stood a man in leather pants and a raggedy looking army coat. He smiled at her and added a wink. He was perhaps forty and unshaven with a healthy beer belly showing over his belted and faded blue jeans. His red hair was in desperate need of grooming and the beard appeared to have been trimmed recently with garden shears.**

**Glory was utterly repulsed, but she was also in need of a stabilizer. She smiled coquettishly at the 'gentleman' and made her way over. Adding a sway to her hips, she wished she wasn't dressed in Ben's clothes. She knew she looked tacky as hell, but she didn't think it would matter to the Lord of Bad Stubble.**

**Minutes later and she was being escorted into the man's room. As she suspected, he was a typical guy who hadn't thought twice that someone who looked like her would give someone who looked like him a second glance. **

**His attempts at sweet talking her were brutally cut off in mid-stream. Her fingers glowed with bright white light and the man screamed as his sanity was ripped from him. Glory gave him a wink and a small grin, before shoving his head through the little television in the room. **

_**At least there will be one less nutso for Benji to look after**_**, she thought as she left the motor lodge without a backward glance.**

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**Spike and Buffy were patrolling side by side and managing to not fight each other; a minor miracle in his estimation. She was tense and he didn't like the dark circles under her eyes. With her Slayer stamina, she must really be walloped to look like she did.**

"**Not sleeping, Luv?"**

"**Don't call me that."**

"**Wasn't meaning anything lascivious by it. You just look tuckered," he sighed. **_**So much for our new and improved relationship, **_**he thought as he pulled out a cigarette.**

"**I'm fine. There's just a lot to deal with right now. You know that."**

"**How's the runt doing?"**

"**Fine."**

"…" **Spike followed along silent, at a loss for words. Obviously Buffy wasn't in the mood for a talk. **_**At least not a talk with me, now if I were the Mighty Master of Bitching and Moaning, **_**he thought with a trace of bitterness.**

**It was several moments later when Buffy rolled her shoulders. They'd been patrolling for nearly two hours, but so far there was nothing to slay. It wasn't hard to guess why there'd been a lack of decent fights lately between Buffy's tear through the vampire community a few months ago and Glory's current presence. Gods were notorious for wiping out the 'lower life' in an area…usually vampires and minor demons with the occasional human massacre.**

"**Am I a horrible person for being angry at Giles," Buffy asked suddenly, breaking the uncomfortable tension.**

"**Suppose it depends on why," he replied.**

"**I know he and the Council are doing what they can, but…," she sighed, and he noted the clenching and unclenching of her fists.**

"**They're not coming up with a way to defeat her Lordship, yet?"**

**Buffy gave him a short shake of the head. She stopped suddenly and took several deep breaths, releasing each slowly out into the night air. He waited patiently for her to begin walking again.**

"**Dawnie will be okay. She's got you, she's got me and she's got the Gang, including your Watcher. We won't let anything happen to her."**

"**Mom had us, too," Buffy said as Spike noted her grief briefly passing over her features. A moment later and she just looked knackered again. **

"**Look, Spike," she continued, "Do you think you could finish patrol for me? I'd really like to check in with Giles. I mean, I know he'd call my cell if he had anything, but…."**

"**Yeah. Yeah, of course, go. Doesn't seem much is going on around here, anyway."**

**Buffy dashed off in the general direction of Giles' apartment, while Spike headed in the general direction of Xander's. No reason for him to waste an empty night patrolling if he could corral him into coming to the Bronze for pool. Being a Wednesday night, it should be relatively easy to get a table.**

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**Glory paced in her penthouse dressed in a chenille robe of blood red. She'd scrubbed for nearly two hours to get every trace of Ben off of her and she was in a dark mood. Around her, the 'stubby ones' were trying to make themselves invisible while staying close enough to respond if she called them. **

"**You know, I think I've been very patient for a God," she said to no one in particular. "And Buffy has been very, very rude in not appreciating it. I think maybe it is far past time to change game plans."**

**The goblins stood looking at one another in turn, not being sure if they should respond or not. No one wanted to utter the first sound, just in case they were wrong. On the other hand, if she wanted a response and they remained silent….**

**Finally after a handful of seconds, Ginx replied to her Most Luscious in a timid voice. "What can we do to facilitate this new 'game plan', Your Most Mighty One?"**

**Glory looked around and crooked a finger. She waggled it, summoning Ginx to her side. **

**Ginx approached with her eyes on the carpet. She tried to suppress the shivers of terror running through her small frame. Glory could be most unforgiving when she was already in a foul mood.**

**The god reached out a jeweled hand and patted Ginx's head. It was hard enough to hurt, but for her, it was a gentle caress. "That's my Ginxie, always wanting to help out. If only the rest of you leeches would be more helpful like this one!"**

**In a rush of overlapping babble, they all approached offering their most heartfelt services. Ginx only looked on them with disdain for their transparent attempts to ride her coattails. **

"**Okay, enough already," Glory raised her voice. "I can't tell you the new plan if you're all too frickin' busy toadying! Now, this is what I want you to do. Fan out, find one of the Slayer's pals…I don't care which one; bring him or her to me. Once I have them, I have no doubt little Buffykins will come rushing to the rescue. Then we'll capture and torture the little slut until she reveals everything I want to know. And then? Then I'm going to have me a bit of Slayer-brain," she giggled.**

**Glory's mirth was cut short by the stumbling in of Granier; all moans and groans in his wake. As the dwarves rushed to aid him, for he was obviously hurt rather badly, Glory frowned. His robes were covered in dark, black blood and it was leaving a trail on the carpeting.**

"**M-majestic one, I bring news," Granier coughed out as he was settled onto one of the settees. And yes, he was getting that messy, too.**

"**Granier, you're making a god-awful mess! No pun intended," Glory said. "Who did this to you? Was it the bitch!? I'll rip her damned arms off!"**

"**N-no, uh, Your Greatest. It wasn't the Slayer, but B-ben." Granier took another hissing breath as he rode out more pain from deep within his gut.**

"**Ben? Ben did this to my little cutie? Oh, he is so going to be grounded! Ah, I just…he just drives me so crazy! I could just…" Glory started ripping out handfuls of her lanky hair. "He just drives me into such a rage!"**

"**G-glory, Mighty, uh, Prettiness, Ben told me something of v-value," Granier wheezed.**

"**Really? Oh, tell me, tell me," she said clapping her hands excitedly.**

"**He intim-mated that the Key was human, Your Gracefulness. T-that it was an innocent."**

**Glory stood for a moment in contemplation before bursting into laughter. "Oh those monks…those clever, clever monks. I've got to hand it to them, I'd never have thought of that! Okay, gang this is what we do. Ginx, you stay and heal little Granier there, and then the two of you can steam clean these carpets and the settee. The rest of you, find that 'innocent'. I know Buffy will be close by whoever it is…look for someone she's protecting, someone she's really attached to. It won't be the Watcher, he's way too old."**

"**The sister," Gronx asked the room.**

"**Don't be stupid! Didn't I just get done saying that the monks were clever," Glory sighed. "Really, you'd think Gods would have better servants than this. The baby sis is so blatantly obvious. No, this is going to be a friend of hers, or maybe even a lover. Whoever it is, it'll come as a surprise and be completely unexpected. Now, get out! Find him or her! I'm going to the Club House for a massage."**

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**Spike was crossing through Heavenly Fields Cemetery towards Xander's apartment building when he grimaced to the sound of an overly-familiar voice.**

"**Hi, Spike! Are you patrolling this area? Should I head to Strawberry Fields, instead," the Buffybot exclaimed, all chipper.**

"**What the hell you doin' out here, 'Bot? You know I'd prefer you staying in the mausoleum," he sighed, annoyed.**

"**Spike, I can't deny my Destiny! I have to battle the monster menaces of darkness. I am The Slayer."**

"**I'm going to find and kill that robot building geek," Spike said under his breath. Louder, he said to the 'Bot, "Well, let's get you ba--." His words were cut off as he was tackled to the ground. **

"**Spike!" The Buffybot yelled in agitation as her honey was tackled to the ground by a hulking Fyarl demon. Quickly checking her databank, she found that the thing was incredibly strong and could shoot out a paralyzing stream of mucous. She rushed forward, giving the beast a side kick that knocked it completely off of Spike and sent the thing into a roll for several feet.**

**Behind a nearby tomb stood the group of five Glory minions, Grono, Gronx, Goru, Gren and the mute Guar. They watched as Buffy fought with the Fyarl they'd hired for two babies (not that they'd bother paying, of course, they'd just have Glory kill him if need be). They were intrigued by her vigorous defense of the friend known as Spike, but that didn't mean he was the Key. They hung back and watched carefully.**

**Spike had just recovered when the Buffybot was slammed with a swinging forearm and sent crashing into him. The Fyarl soon followed, bellowing and hurling the usual assortment of threats. **

"**I'm sorry. I know you're trying to communicate. But I don't speak Fyarl." The robot had sprung to her feet and was beginning to high-kick the demon while Spike finally was able to regain his feet. It felt like she'd fractured his left wrist when she'd collided with him, but it was nothing that a pint of blood and a half hour wouldn't fix.**

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**Anya was going through the nightly tally from her pile of sales receipts when she was interrupted by a knock at the front door. She had her mouth open to yell that the Magic Box was closed, but smiled when she saw Xander waiting to be let in.**

**Once he was inside, she expressed her surprise to see him. He followed her back to the counter where little slips of paper were spread on its surface.**

"**Well, I got bored hanging around the apartment. Besides, I don't like you walking home at night, armed or not. I thought I'd take you out for pizza, if you want."**

"**Well, that's really sweet. I am hungry and I suppose that this can wait. It's not like Giles will bother showing up before I can get things situated," she snarked.**

"**Ahn, you know he's busy with this Glory/Key/Knights thing. Buffy needs him right now."**

"**Well, so does the store! I mean, if he wanted to go back to being a full time Watcher, then he should hire another hand around here."**

**Xander held her coat for her as she slipped into it. He'd learned over the years to just listen to her rant; they were usually pretty short lived. Of course, he'd been her boyfriend then. Technically, he supposed, he shouldn't have to entertain her fits anymore.**

**He made sure the door was locked behind him and then they proceeded toward 'Donny's'. There he hoped they could talk about something else. Mention of Glory or Giles or the Key (which they shouldn't be talking about in public anyway) always made him think of the chilling thoughts that Hyena and Commando had regarding Dawn's fate. It made Xan feel panicky and sick to remember that night when they'd been told her origins.**

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End Chapter 2


	3. Abduction

**Songs of Pain and Comfort**

Ch 3 – Abduction

**Another heavy fisted blow landed against Spike's chin. This one was hard enough to lift him from his feet and he felt a hard jab to his back as he landed on top of an upright tombstone. In the meantime, the Buffybot was picking herself up off the ground. She'd been tossed around by the Fyarl and 'snotted' in her face. Thankfully, she didn't require oxygen because the goop had hardened nearly on contact and covered her nose and mouth.**

**The Fyarl stomped toward Spike, considering the vampire more dangerous than the girl with him. He raised a large, hoofed foot above Spike, but the vampire was quick and was able to grab hold of it. **

**Straining, he managed to stop the heavy foot from crushing his chest. He tried to wrestle the large demon away so he could regain his feet, but the thing was putting all its strength into smashing downward and he found himself struggling to hold the hoof aloft. **

**Buffybot, seeing Spike's danger tried to yell at him to get out of the way, but the hardened resin gluing her mouth shut kept her from doing more than mumbling incoherently. She rushed the Fyarl and thanks to robotic strength, was able to tackle the thing to the ground. As the huge demon thrashed about, the robot got in a half dozen solid blows to its face, finally drawing blood from its over-sized nose.**

**Spike joined the Buffybot and began to kick the attacker in the ribs. It didn't seem to be making a huge impact, however. A moment later and the Fyarl had managed to grab the Buffybot by her upper arms.**

**Going into a rolling maneuver, it quickly had the robot pinned to the ground. A backhanded swipe of a fist sent Spike reeling; Fyarl's really were powerfully built. As the Fyarl wrapped meaty hands around the Buffybot's throat and tried to throttle her, Spike again got to his feet.**

**The Fyarl, not comprehending why the girl wouldn't just choke between his resin blocking her airway and his hands around her throat began to lift and slam her into the hard dirt and lawn of the cemetery. Spike ignored this display and jogged over to a copse of woods that surrounded most of Sunnydale's boneyards. He grabbed a large, thick branch and broke it off of a tree and then ran back to where the Fyarl had started punching Buffybot across the face.**

**Winding up like a professional cricket player going for five runs, he swung with all of his own demonic strength. The branch connected solidly with an explosive cracking sound as the wood immediately shattered on impact.**

**The Fyarl grunted in surprise and then fell forward burying the tiny robot under its bulk. Before Spike could assist her, however, Buffybot man-handled the thing off of her. She tried to thank Spike profusely for his assistance, but again found it impossible to talk with the dried gunk over her mouth.**

**She began to peel at the stuff, trying not to mar her synthetic skin at the same time. Spike was less careful, coming over and trying to dig his fingers under the mucous shell. Near them, the Fyarl fell into a heavy snore causing an amused glance from Spike. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about the wanker, it seemed cowardly to kill a demon while he was out for the count.**

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**Xander and Anya were headed toward the apartment. With Donny's on the far side of their block, they had to pass right by it on the way. It's nearness to the new place was how Xander had come across the little parlor and now it was the only pizza he'd order. **

**As they passed the nearby cemetery, Heavenly Fields, Anya motioned across the expanse of lawn, grave markers, and statues. **

"**I could have sworn I saw a flash of platinum blond," she said with a glance at Xander. "Maybe we should go check it out?"**

"**We don't have to, Anya. I mean, Spike can handle himself and, uh…."**

"**Xan? I'm alright. Really, it's okay to see him and besides he's a member of the Scooby Club, right? We should make sure he's not in some trouble. You know you want to," she sighed.**

"**Well, maybe just a peek to see that he's okay. Thanks, Ahn."**

**As the two began climbing over the low rock wall surrounding the graveyard, they could hear grunting coming from Spike's general location. Xander took Anya's hand and hurried her toward where it sounded like a fight might be going on.**

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**Buffy had left Giles' apartment just as disappointed as she thought she'd be. 'Still nothing new' was getting to be a refrain and she wondered just what the point of all of that Council lore was anyway, if it couldn't ever do anything useful.**

**Upon getting home, she gave Janice across the street a call and assured herself that Dawn was fine and that she'd be home before too much longer. She'd reiterated to her sister that she expected a phone call before Dawn started across the street. She realized she was being a little smothering, but for the moment, Dawn was playing along and cooperating.**

**Going to the refrigerator made her realize that she hadn't done any grocery shopping since, well, forever. The contents of the fridge could fit into a small purse and she sighed. Her mom took care of this sort of thing; she didn't even know which store her mom preferred. **

_**I wonder if 'grocery shopping' would be considered a Watcher job.**_** That made her smile briefly as she pictured Giles with a shopping list and picking up tampons for her and Dawn. With a sigh, she realized it was going to be a can of 'Chicken and Stars' soup for dinner. **

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**As soon as Spike had divested Buffybot of her snot mask, she leaped into his arms unexpectedly. They crashed to the ground with her on top, her lips fastened to his own.**

"**Mmmph!"**

"**Oh, thank you Spike! You're my sexy, strong, powerful hero!"**

"**Come on, 'Bot, get off," he nearly growled.**

"**I'm trying, Spike. I believe you will enjoy some of my own tweaks to my program OT-3."**

"**No," he said harshly, "I meant, 'get off of me'."**

"**I don't understand," she exclaimed as she continued to lie atop him. "You're confusing me with this refusal to utilize my primary programming!"**

"**Oh, my God!" **

**Spike and Buffybot turned their heads at a man's shout nearby them and saw Xander and Anya with their mouths hanging open in shock. Xander was shaking his head 'no' while Anya just stared at them.**

**From behind the mausoleum, Glory's monks shared glances at one another. They'd found the one that Buffy coveted. The funny haired one would have to be brought to Glory as soon as possible.**

"**It's not what you think, Xan," Spike exclaimed as he worked on getting out from under the robot.**

"**Yes, Spike and I haven't been able to copulate yet," she stated with her wide grin.**

"**I-I…. I don't want to see this; I don't want to know this," Xander said as he turned and ran away. Anya took a moment to glare at Spike and then ran after him.**

**For just a moment Spike dithered about following. He knew if he caught up to them, he'd have to explain about the sexbot and that was just a load of trouble. Of course, there was no way to hide it at this point and Spike was getting ready to go for the chase when a heavy blunt force struck him in the back of his head. **

"**Spike," Buffybot cried again. Before she had the chance to react, she was tackled by a gaggle of short, grayish skinned beings with large dark eyes and brown robes.**

"**We have the Slayer," screamed Gren in excitement. "Glory is going to reward us!" **

**In the meantime, Gronx continued to bash Spike in the head, until he was able to turn over enough to grab the descending club and yank it from the goblin's grasp. Next, Spike lunged to grab at Gronx but he was hazy from the clubbing and the deformed elf danced out of reach. As Gronx did so, he shouted for assistance with subduing the 'dangerous man'. **

**This only brought cries of alarm as Buffybot easily stood up, sending goblin bodies flying helter skelter over the area. The Buffy robot tried to reach Spike, but Glory's minions again launched themselves at 'the Slayer', tackling her about the ankles and knees. The Buffybot fell forward and her head connected with a sharp angle of a tombstone, knocking her temporarily off line.**

**Spike in the meantime was in hand to hand combat with Gronx, joined by the silent Guar. He danced and spun as he hit first one and then the other. He'd just grabbed Guar and was in the process of snapping the rodent's neck when an electric zap directly over his spine caused him to go into convulsions and fall to the ground. The last thing he saw was Goru smiling at him with what appeared to be a cattle prod in his hand.**

**The imps smiled at each other and a few even engaged in the human custom of the 'high five' when Gronx and Gren interrupted the festivities.**

"**Uh, guys…we have a problem," Gronx informed the others.**

"**We can't move her!" Gren looked at Buffy with shock, "How can a little female weigh so much?"**

"**What do you mean," Grono said. "Here, we'll help."**

**But as the mini-demons hauled and strained, they found that the Buffybot would barely move. She was a nearly immovable dead weight and the imps were huffing and puffing with their efforts.**

"**Well, we can't go back to Glory and tell her we had the Slayer, but she was heavy," Goru complained.**

"**No, that would be bad," another of them agreed.**

"**We w-won't tell her," Gronx said. "I mean, it's not exactly a lie as long as she doesn't ask, right?"**

**After several minutes of thinking, Grono pointed out, "We can't go back empty handed! Her Most Illustrious Light would be…grumpy, to say the least."**

"**We'll drag the Slayer's boyfriend," replied Gren triumphantly, as if it was the most brilliant plan ever. "After all, this is what her command was to begin with, right?"**

**It took no time at all for the others to agree. Finding Spike far easier to drag away, they again congratulated each other as they huffed and puffed their way back toward Glory's while trying to stick to the woods and deserted parks of the town.**

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"**I just…I can't believe this," Xander said with something approaching despair. "Spike and Buffy? When did this happen?"**

"**Well, maybe it wasn't like it looked," Anya replied. She shook her head, "No, it was definitely how it looked." **

"**I mean…Buffy and Spike…what the hell?"**

"**I'm sorry, Xander. I really am. What are you going to do, now?"**

"**I don't know. I mean…I don't know. Do you think Giles knows?"**

"**Are you kidding," Anya scoffed. "He'd have dropped dead if he'd known about this. That reminds me, I hope he's left the shop to me in his will."**

"**Anya! Can we focus on my pain here," Xander huffed. Inside, Commando was trying, unsuccessfully to get Xander to go back and hear Spike out. Hyena howled in rage and betrayal; she'd made it perfectly clear to Spike that she wanted him!**

"**Maybe Buffy is cracking under the strain? I mean, she's been through how many apocalypses and now there's this whole Dawn/Key deal and Joyce's passing. Maybe it's just been too much to deal with," Anya stated.**

"**You know, you could be right. Of course, she's been devastated recently and Spike, being a selfish, self-involved demon on a leash has taken advantage. I'm going to kick that undead's ass! Of course, I might want to kiss his bruises away after…maybe ****you**** could kick his ass?"**

"**Oh, I'd be happy to, believe me," Anya said with all seriousness. "I think we should go to Buffy's house and wait for her. We could have an intervention-thingy like on that Lifetime movie where Valerie Bertinelli wouldn't leave that abusive boyfriend."**

"**Good idea! I'm calling Willow," Xander said as he pulled out his cell phone. "Maybe she and Tara can help talk some sense into her. Giles needs to know too, if Buffy is cracking up, who knows what she'll do next." **

"**You don't think she'd hurt us or herself, do you?"**

"**No, of course not. But she might…I don't know…do something even weirder than this Spike thing."**

"**Well, you want to do Spike, too," Anya pointed out.**

"**That's different," Xander insisted, "I don't make it a habit of punching Spike out every time I see him. Maybe that's why he hasn't…." Further discussion was interrupted by Tara answering the phone as they rushed toward the apartment to grab Xander's car.**

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**The Buffybot came alert instantly as data was routed around her damaged circuits. She sprang up from the ground and assumed an attack posture while scanning the cemetery for her attackers. **

"**Spike," she called out questioningly moments later.**

**Buffybot ran around the other side of the gravestones near her, looking for the vampire. "Spike? Are you here unconscious or dead?"**

**When there was no answer and no signs of Spike's presence, Buffybot whimpered slightly to herself. She'd heard the unknown humanoids refer to Glory and the idea that they might have taken Spike to her filled her with confusion and dread. Glory would be sure to hurt her Spike, but she didn't know where to find them. **

**After weighing the conflicting priorities of her programming, she came to a decision. She would have to risk seeing Anya and Xander again. They had already espied her, so she wouldn't be breaking Spike's 'no contact' rule. Of course, she had no idea where either of them lived. She needed to go to her twin's house and get her assistance. That would be breaking Spike's rules, but her programming to take care of him overrode his imposed restrictions.**

**With a confident nod of her head, she set off for the other Buffy's house.**

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End Chapter 3


	4. Buffy meets Buffy

**Songs of Pain and Comfort**

Ch 4 – Buffy meets Buffy

**The gang had gathered in front of Buffy's house, working up the courage to confront her over her new relationship with Spike. Tara, Willow and Anya were in a state of shock. Giles was just confused and somewhat doubtful of Xander and Anya's accounts of what they'd thought they'd seen. Xander was angry, but only because he was so hurt and he had Hyena-Xander pushing him from within.**

"**I-I can't see what you're claiming," Giles reiterated for the third time. "It simply doesn't make sense. And besides, Buffy was just at my home this evening. She didn't appear ****that**** despondent."**

"**Well, the burning in my eyes tells me I saw the horror in living color," Xander insisted. "We've got to find out what this means." **

**Xander glanced at Anya and Willow then shrugged. "I can learn to accept if their…involved…but they've always been so violent. Especially Buffy toward him, it's not healthy!"**

"**Well, I suppose we should…." Giles swallowed while pointing towards the Summers' front door.**

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**Spike was dumped unceremoniously onto a beige shag carpet. He was conscious and his limbs were starting to become controllable again, but he was in no shape for a fight. Especially not with the blonde woman who looked down at him now with a mixture of curiosity and distaste on her face.**

"**Okay? What is this and why bring it here?"**

"**Your Most Fabulous of Mistresses, this," said Grono with flourish, "is what you seek!"**

**Glory frowned. "Actually, I'm pretty sure I remember asking for someone close to Buffykins…this is a vampire. She is a vampire Slayer…how does this thing," she kicked Spike hard eliciting a surprised grunt from him, "help me in any way?"**

"**B-But Your Divine Light, she protected him most fiercely before she…ah…ran away from our superior numbers," Gren said while bowing at the waist over and over.**

"**Really? Hmmm. Well, Precious," Glory said as she hauled Spike one handed into the air and held him aloft with his feet dangling. "Let's get a closer look at you. Hey…you look familiar to me. Have we met?"**

"**Who, me? Nah, I'm sure I'd have remembered," Spike lied. "And your dwarves are lying to you, Princess. The Slayer, she was about to dust poor, little me. Imagine a Slayer protecting a vampire? It's ridiculous!"**

"**My little imps wouldn't lie to me," Glory replied darkly. "They ****know**** what that would mean." She took a moment to gaze at the minions who immediately fell to their knees in supplication and swearing that what they'd said was only the truth. She cut off their protests with an impatient hiss between her teeth.**

"**But you," Glory turned her attention back to the dangling vampire. "You'd lie to me without a second's hesitation. In fact, Platinum, you ****are**** lying. I saw you in the hospital; you interrupted my little chat with the Slayer's baby sis."**

"**You caught me, I really didn't think you'd have the wits to figure that much out on your own" Spike said with bravado. Adding that smirk he knew annoyed Buffy he added, "And you know what else, Buffy's gonna kick your egomaniacal ass!"**

**Spike lashed out with a booted foot, catching Glory in the chest. Surprised, she dropped him, but before he could regain his feet, she had him in a tight grip by the back of his neck.**

"**That wasn't very nice, Sugar," she said to him malevolently. "It's not nice to fool around with a God. Boys, lets chain our guest here up."**

**Spike tried to break free of Glory, but she ignored his back handed swings and his attempt to head butt her into letting him go. Meanwhile, he did managed to kick her scabby midgets around, but he was out numbered and over powered. In relatively short order, they had him mostly immobilized. His wrists were chained in manacles, very much like he'd used on Dru and Buffy, though heavier. These were attached to another chain which they used to haul him above the floor. Only then did Glory actually let go of him; not that it did a lot of good. She moved her grip to his legs as the minions shackled these too, more chains securing him to the floor. Even with his vampire strength, there was no leverage to be gained with all four limbs being held in mid-air.**

"**Now," Glory said as she came around to look in his face, "How's about we chat a little about, oh, Buffy and a very special person she's guarding."**

"**How's about 'fuck off'," Spike said before hocking up a mouth of spit and showering her with it.**

"**Oh, that was such a big mistake," Glory said, wiping her face with an Egyptian cotton hand towel produced nearly instantly by Gronx. Once done, Glory smiled at Spike before slapping him across his face. **

**Spike's head whipped to the side so hard, he thought he was going to suffer whiplash. He'd taken some hard hits in his time before this though; Angelus, Buffy, Fyarl demon, and this one didn't impress him much, relatively speaking. Next time, he'd be braced for the blow.**

"**Let's start again," Glory said.**

"**I'm not telling you jack. In case you hadn't noticed, you don't impress me at all," Spike grinned at her, swallowing the little bit of blood from inside his mouth. "I'm gonna get out of this," he said indicating the chains, "and then I'll show you what a hit is really like."**

"**Or, maybe you'll just try running away again," she said, amused. "Or so, you think."**

**Glory's smile remained, but there was a new hardness to it. She clenched her hand and arranged the middle knuckle so that it was slightly stuck above the rest of her fist. With a sudden movement, she knuckle-punched Spike's left knee.**

**He yelled. He couldn't stop himself as the kneecap cracked nearly in half and pain tore through his leg. The swelling was almost immediate and his tight jeans were compressing the new wound causing constant waves of agony to emanate from it.**

**Glory smiled again: hugely, beautifully, and coldly. "Now, Binky, let's try again."**

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"**What?" Buffy was practically screaming, "Me and Spike were what?"**

"**That's what we're trying to ascertain, Buffy," Giles said. "We-we're not judging."**

"**No, of course we're not," Tara added. "Buffy, we just want to make sure you're in a good emotional place. This is just coming as a surprise, is all."**

"**I'll say," Xander practically spat out. "I'd like to know when the hell this started."**

"**Xander," Willow said as she placed a supporting hand on his bicep. "This isn't Buffy's or Spike's fault. Anger isn't going to help here, you know?"**

"**Well, I never understood why everyone seems to want to lay him, anyway," Anya added.**

"**No one is screwing Spike! For God's sake, he's a vampire!"**

"**Well…." Xander started but was interrupted.**

"**Angel's different," Buffy added. "Spike is evil, okay! Yes, he's chipped and he's been great, but he's still not exactly one of the good guys. Why in the heck would you think we'd be having anything relationshippy? Are you all under a spell?"**

"**Wow, my sister and Spike?" Dawn had just come down from upstairs to the sounds of the commotion and was dressed in a flannel gown. **

"**No! I am not doing ****anything**** with Spike," Buffy insisted.**

"**Buffy, we saw you," Xander said. "Me and Anya and you and Spike with the whole lips on lips action, okay?"**

"**Wait, wait, wait…you think you saw me kissing Spike? And you just left me there instead of insisting I go immediately to the psych ward?!"**

"**I did suggest that maybe you've cracked," Anya offered.**

"**Oh, I'm not the one cracking, here!" **

**Before Buffy could continue the rant she felt bubbling up, an insistent knock on the door caused her to stomp over to answer it. A moment later, she walked back into the living room with her mouth hanging open, speechless. Following behind her was her exact twin, smiling beamingly.**

"**Hello, friends!" **

"**Oh, my god," Dawn said.**

"**Ahhh! Toth is back," Xander yelled. "And, oops, apologies for sounding girly there for a minute. But, ahh, Toth is back!"**

"**No, this is a robot," Buffy said to the group of shocked faces. "Look at her with the empty eyes and the slightly psychotic grin."**

"**Oh, I don't think my grin is 'slightly psychotic'. Spike likes my grin, especially when we used to have sex."**

"**Ugh. Excuse me," Buffy grimaced, "I now feel the need to go clean my ears out with Drano."**

"**So…Spike must have tracked down Warren," Willow thought out loud. "She reminds me a lot of April."**

"**Oh, so Spike must have had her built to…uh…play chess with," Tara sputtered as she noted Dawn was still in the room.**

"**Oh, right," Dawn scoffed.**

"**And you wonder why I don't give him a break," Buffy shot at Xander.**

"**Well, clearly I can see that an ass kicking is so much deserved in this case," he said back.**

"**Friends! Friends, listen!" They all turned their eyes back to the robot Buffy in their midst. "I need assistance from my twin and our Watcher. Spike is in danger!"**

"**Good!"**

"**Buffy," Xander said. "He deserves an ass kicking, but if he gets one, he gets it from us!"**

"**Fine," she sighed. "What's he gotten himself into now?"**

"**Glory took him! And I don't know how to find her," she said blinking. She then smiled her most dazzling grin, "But I know that my fellow Slayer can help!"**

"**Glory has Spike," Dawn exclaimed. The worry in her voice was clear.**

"**Why would Glory be interested in a vampire," Giles wondered.**

"**For what he might know!" Buffy dashed over toward the weapons chest sitting against a wall. "If they've been spying on him, they've seen him and ****IT**** acting all, um, friendly. They probably think I've told him something."**

"**That is very clever, other Buffy," Buffybot complimented. "And Spike knows that Dawn is a mystic Key which Glory would like to possess."**

"**I should have known he wouldn't keep that to himself," Buffy harshly said. "Grab weapons guys, we're rolling! We've got to find that peroxided idiot and kill him!"**

"**Hey, wait," Xander grabbed her wrist as she reached for a pile of stakes. "When did this become about killing him?"**

"**Yes, we cannot kill Spike," Buffybot told Buffy. "We must rescue him."**

"**Look you stupid slut-bot, Spike is going to rat out Dawn. We don't have time to play nice. I'm sorry Xan, I know you guys have this friend thing going on."**

"**It's more than that! I'm in love with him," Xander exclaimed. A heartbeat later and he realized he'd blurted that out loud. Seeing the utterly stunned shock on Buffy's, Giles' and Tara's faces, he added a little less passionately, "Oh, god."**

"**Xander…good Lord!" Giles removed his glasses, "We really need to talk about this later."**

"**Operative word… 'later'," Buffy said as she reached back into the chest.**

"**Buffy? Please…." Xander said.**

"**We'll try to rescue Spike," she replied while pulling out an ax. "But Xander, Dawn is my priority. I don't know what is going on with you and him, but we can't get into it right now. Just know that if I can't get him out, I can't leave him to Glory. He knows too much."**

"**I get it," Xander said. "And, thanks."**

"**You can't love Spike," Buffybot said from behind Xander. "Spike is my boyfriend and we are going to be screwing forever."**

"**Oh, god," Buffy exclaimed, "Could you not talk?"**

"**I-I hate to point this out, but we don't know where to look," Tara interrupted as she grabbed a dagger from the chest.**

"**We know it's around Rainbow Park," Buffy said emphatically.**

"**Where you stopped Sobek," Giles immediately understood.**

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End Chapter 4


	5. Vampires Bleed, Too

**Spanderverse: Songs of Pain & Comfort**

Ch 5- Vampires Bleed, Too

**Spike was in pain. A pain he had rarely, if ever, known. In front of him, seen through the hazy red of his one semi-good eye, was the inflictor of that pain. She was also the one who had made the other eye unusable for the foreseeable future as it was swollen completely shut. That complete half of his face, in fact, felt like it was distorted. He didn't doubt it would look nearly blackened with bruising from the tender treatments of the petite blonde pacing in a rage in front of him.**

**Spike resisted the urge to draw a breath. Although his undead body was completely beyond the need for oxygen, often the human impulse to draw air survived for centuries after the demon reanimated the corpse it wore. That instinct was strong now. Spike fought it for control, because he didn't want to scream. Part of ****that**** desire was not to give the blonde the satisfaction of hearing him vent his suffering, part of it was simple pride. Being the 'big bad' and all should allow him to show some restraint; to bear a little pain without comment or acknowledgment. **

**The problem of course, was that this wasn't a little pain. It was several gut-wrenching pains. All insidiously insisting they'd feel better if he just screamed until his voice was gone. And he wanted to; he wanted to shriek until his voice box bled, until he had nothing but empty mute air leaving him. He desperately wanted to yell and plead and maybe, just maybe even beg because the pain was so great it was all he could feel and think about. But he wouldn't, of course, he was William the frickin' Bloody and he'd keep his mouth shut and drive the blonde to an ever higher state of frustration. And maybe if he was really lucky, and some 'Power' was looking down on him, perhaps she'd kill him before he could reveal the secret he needed to keep.**

**Glorificus, the blonde in question, was standing in front of a large bay window in her luxury condo. Her flawless ivory skin was bathed in the early dawn Californian sunlight, but it went entirely unnoticed by her. **

**Spike, being kept in shadow, could tell she was still fuming over his silence. As much as there was a purpose to her ministrations, he was sure that it bothered her just as much not to hear him wailing. **

**As a god, Glorificus was pretty unobservant about the suffering she caused others with her almost unconscious maliciousness, but even one as metaphorically blind to others as she, could tell Spike was in a bad way. Not that she gave a shit, of course. The point was the Key, not the vampire's pain or not-pain.**

**Spike saw her glance back over her shoulder at him. Her look was casual, calculating, and utterly without empathy. She ran her eyes over his body from head to toe, cataloguing the damage she'd done. **

_**Considering what to try next, maybe, **_**he thought. Spike suppressed a shudder. **

**There were very few times in the last one-hundred and twenty-five or so years since Dru had given him his new existence when he was truly afraid. It was the sort of fear that he'd once taken great pleasure in seeing in his soon to be meal's eyes. He didn't feel it when Angelus was beating him for not having the proper amount of respect, he didn't feel it when Darla wanted to be rid of him and had a stake pointing at his chest, he may have felt it in Prague when he was sure that Dru was done for. He wasn't sure about that time. But this, this fear he had now was in a league of its own. It wasn't of any help that his brain felt wrapped in felt; his thoughts fuzzy by loss of blood and not having fed last night.**

**When her Scabs brought him here, he was just pissed off that they had gotten the drop on him so easily. It had been clumsy and stupid. Hanging with the Scooby Gang had him going soft and lazy, apparently.**

**Even when they chained his wrists from the ceiling he was only annoyed. As they had hoisted him half a foot off the floor and his shoulder joints were yelling in protest, he'd used the pain to feed the anger. Lashing out with his feet, he'd managed to connect solidly with two of the little twerps, allowing him to revel in the fight to come.**

**Then she'd walked up, bitching to the Jawa-minions that she'd wanted him restrained. And he'd smirked at her then. Full of bravado and confidence that this would be just like the other times he was in trouble. A few smart-assed comments; followed by an amazing escape and with a little ass-kicking thrown in for a good time. Later there would be tales of his daring-do over a pint. He'd started off good, he thought, with that comment about her IQ.**

**But that's also when the good times stopped. The Slayer had warned all of them that this bint was strong; really strong. Spike had blown it off though, as he usually did all such warnings. **

**Glory had simply slapped him after his 'witless' comment. She didn't even solidly connect with his face. It had been a lazy gesture, one she wasn't really focused on as she had still been berating the Gnome Gang. Spike's head had immediately whipped to the side so fast and hard, he was sure his neck was broke. His jaw immediately screamed in protest and he could feel it swelling within seconds. That was when he realized he was in real trouble.**

**"I need to go shopping," Glory broke into his thoughts. "He has me so mad, I'm about to kill him without learning what I need."**

**"Yes, Your Most Lightness of Being," replied Gronk, one of the mentioned gnomes. "We will keep the blood drinker secured."**

**Glory simply breezed by him without acknowledgment until she reached the door. "That would be a good idea, you little roaches. You don't want me to be in a bad mood when I get back." And with that, she was out of the door.**

**The muscles released their tension that Spike hadn't realized they were holding the entire time. He had been trying to prepare himself for the next blow. It was pointless, of course. There was no way to steel oneself from one of Glory's fists. It was worse than being hit by Angelus… in a rage… with a steel pipe… in the groin. It was worse than one of Buffy's best thrown. It was worse than any blow that he had ever experienced.**

**So, Spike hung limply from his restraints, trying to gather some strength so he could attempt to break his chains again. So far that plan hadn't worked out so well, but he maintained a little hope. It was all he could do, really. The problem was that while he was clearing the ringing in his head from Glory's first slap, the repulsive ones had secured his ankles with chains in the floor. Or maybe that was before her slap? It was hard to remember now. **

_**Doesn't matter, **_**he tried to focus. **_**It's severely limiting the old mobility. It's nearly impossible to struggle against these cuffs the way they've got me bound.**_

**While Spike consolidated his energy, he ran over the inventory of his injuries. They were extensive. Closing his good eye, he tried to feel each individual cut, scrape, bruise and puncture. He knew there was a cut above his eye, because it had been bleeding off and on. A trickle of red obscuring his view, and gluing his eyelids together whenever he blinked. The other side of his face was a lost cause. He'd be lucky if that wasn't permanently deformed, by the way it felt now.**

**Moving his mental eye lower, he could feel rake marks across his chest from the talons that Glory liked to call fingernails. Those should have already sealed themselves, so it said a lot about how hurt he really was. He had so much damage, over such a wide area of his body, that his healing factor was overwhelmed. He was also weaker than ordinary, since he hadn't had time to fill up on blood before he got himself knicked. He thought wistfully for a moment about a good hot cup of blood, but since it wasn't likely Glory would bring any back for him, he shook it off and continued the inventory.**

**One of his nipples had been torn under his tee shirt, the blood causing it to painfully stick to the cotton material. She had pleasantly reached out to tweak it while he thought she was trying the "seduction tract". Turned into a fake out though, and she'd viciously twisted it, tearing skin as easily as rice paper. It was still weeping blood since every time he'd moved, it tore open again. **

**His abdomen also freely bled from the hole that she'd poked into him via another of those sharp as dagger nails of hers. Her finger twisting around on the wrong side of his skin had been the worst thing she'd done during their 'session' together. That was also when he'd been the most afraid. He was sure that he was going to yell Dawn's name out then. Anything to get her to stop fingering his guts that way, but then she'd withdrawn her finger with a look of disgust and ran to the bathroom to wash her hands. **

**Moving down toward his legs, he was happy she'd left his crotch alone. Even for a vampire, the jewels were a big weak spot. **

**His knees were another matter. At least, the left kneecap was. She had wound up a fist and punched it with a hard jab. Spike had felt and heard the bone crack, though at first he'd thought she'd broken it completely. The entire leg was swollen, straining the material of his black jeans. It was a constant source of pressing agony since he wore his jeans quite tight anyway. There just wasn't any material there to expand under the puffing skin.**

**Spike was trying to focus on his internal injuries, when he felt a pair of eyes watching him. Opening the right one of his own, he saw one of the Scab-babies looking upon him with something like sympathy. He didn't know this one's name, but it was the only female he'd seen.**

**"You know, if you would just give Her Glorious-ness the name of the Key, she'd let you leave."**

**"Oi, yes mate… 'course she would. Because she's so stable and reasonable. In fact, I'm sure she'd send me home in a limo stocked with some primo A-positive, right?"**

**Droppo or Dippo, or whatever the little dufus' name was simply sighed sadly. "Poor, little undead. You could live for thousands of years, and instead you're going to throw that all away for what? A Slayer?" This last said with a sneer of derision. "What in the world could that little nothing have over you that you would stay silent?"**

**"Perhaps, I just don't like being kidnapped, chained and slapped around, yeah? Maybe if you had just asked nice like." Spike tried to smile sweetly, but he was pretty sure it looked like a twisted grimace anyway, with the damage his face had suffered.**

**"You know, she can make this suffering last for weeks if need be. I ****know****. I've seen it myself before we were sent here by those treacherous bastards. Of course, she's not really one for the long haul. Her Special-ness will probably just throw you to the sunlight if you don't cooperate soon."**

**With that, the troll walked away. Clucking and muttering to herself over the obstinacy of their guest. Spike tried to come up with a witty retort, but the room was turning a little grey as blood continued leaving him through his injuries.**

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End Chapter 5


	6. Scooby Gang, Where Are You?

**Songs of Pain & Comfort**

Ch 6 - Scooby Gang, Where Are You?

**Sometime during the hour or two that followed, Spike's consciousness had given up and he'd fallen into an uneasy and fitful rest. As his body tried to knit itself, Spike dreamed.**

_**Xander stood before him. His tanned face an open expression of love and sorrow. He reached out a warm hand and caressed Spike's face. He placed a gentle kiss on Spike's chin. **_

_**"Spike, love. What can I do?" **_

_**Spike looked into the large brown eyes and felt himself falling into them. "Xan, please… please undo these chains. They're killing me." Xander reached out to undo the bindings, but hesitated. "Xan?" Spike questioned. **_

_**"I don't know if I should," Xander replied, "What if the chip is damaged and you kill me?" **_

_**"That would never happen, Xander, **__**never**__**. I love you. I have loved you even before I could think it to myself. I wouldn't hurt you." **_

_**"That's a shame," dream-Xander replied, "Because it's the only thing that could have saved you." With this Xander pulled out a wicked looking, pointed stake. **_

_**"I'm sorry lover. You're just not a Scooby, Dawn is. We have to worry about **__**her**__**." And with that, Xander thrust the stake deep into Spike's chest. **_

_**"Of course," Spike replied as he ashed away. "Of course it would end this way."**_

**Spike awoke with a gasp. He wasn't sure where he was, but he was in a lot of pain. Before him was a nastily smirking Hellgod. Everything came back to Spike in a rush; where he was, what had happened, what he was trying to protect. He jerked back from the blonde in front of him, but didn't get far. He recalled a bit late that his limbs were chained and he was dangling off of the floor. Looking around, he realized that the light in the room was bright indicating the sun had not passed over Glory's building, it was sometime before noon. Only a few hours had passed, not nearly enough for him to have regained his strength. This was especially true since he was so damned hungry; no blood meant no healing. As he focused again on the face in front of him, he felt a deep fear. **

_**What have I said? Oh god, what in the hell did I say?**_** Did Dawn's name leave his lips… did he mumble, "Hey, Dawn is the key", while he was out of it?**

**Glory, still dressed to kill in heels and a tight red dress stood before him. She took a step back, anticipation clearly on her features.**

**"Xander… that's one of those Slayer pals, right? Is he it, baby? Is he my pretty, shiny, Key?"**

**Spike took a breath. **

**So… he'd said Xander's name, but even unconscious he was managing to protect Dawn. Spike's thoughts traveled in a quick-flash to Xander in his dream, and the Xander in reality. Xander had kissed him and Spike had wanted to sink into his arms. Could he actually have feelings for the man? All the paling around with him, all the beers and pool in the bar; was it masking something deeper? **

**More thoughts flashed through his mind: Xander and him sitting leg touching leg watching movies, the banter that had become less vitriolic and more good natured over the past several months, Xander's split with Anya and the way he'd used that to spend nearly all of his free time together with him. Even when they were at Slayer meetings, he and Xander managed to always be sitting or standing near each other. **_**Why didn't I see it sooner? And how am I going to protect him now?**_

**Spike looked at Glory in all her excitement and smiled a nasty, bitter smile. The swelling on his face was less, and he thought he'd pulled it off. **

**"That git!" He forced a laugh, "He'd have trouble unlocking his own front door, let alone anything else. Really, complete loser-dom, that one."**

**A puzzled look crossed Glory's face temporarily, wondering if he was lying or not. "Gronx, get your scabby butt over here, dammit!" she yelled.**

**"Yes, Your Most Atrociously Powerful and Gorgeous One!"**

**"Tell me you little pimple, all about Xander. The Slayer's male pal, is he new? Has she been acting all possessive of him?"**

**"No mistress. He appears to be just a regular human. He's been around as long as we've been watching and though the Slayer values him, she doesn't act as if he is the Key."**

**"Maybe not, but I'd bet her tongue would be a little looser if we were to snatch him. After all, she hasn't exactly come rushing to this nincompoop's rescue now has she?" With this she smiled at Spike in a sweet, yet sickening way, "Poor little dear is just dead weight, it looks like."**

**Spike was scared. Scared for himself, but he realized with a shock and sense of awe, that he was more afraid for Xander. He couldn't bear the thought of him being in Glory's possession. Not just because he'd have ratted Dawn out by now (**_**through no fault of his own**_**, he was quick to think), but because Glory would visit all manner of suffering on the guy. **_**When did I stop thinking of him as 'the boy'? I really got it bad.**_

**He remembered the tears in his eyes when he'd rushed Xander to the hospital. Dracula had nearly killed him and he'd been in a panic. Was that when things had changed? Was it way back in September that he'd started to fall?**

**Glory had momentarily turned away from him. She was sending two more of her midget twins on a new errand. The ones he had started to think of as 'Frick and Frack'. **

**"Bring me the Slayer's underling. Even if he doesn't know about my Key, the Slayer is sure to run after him. And I ****know**** the Knights or her Council has told that little bitch all about my precious by now."**

**Spike realized he needed to get away now or die trying. Struggling against his chains was useless. He simply didn't have the leverage he needed to break free. That left only one thing to do. He was going to have to convince her most conceited one to let him free herself. Asking probably wasn't about to work, so there was one thing to do and one thing only. Piss her off: she had to hit him, not just a 'torture the vamp' strike either. She needed to really wind up and belt him. He figured that a solid blow, assuming it didn't kill him or rip his limbs off his torso, would be enough to snap the chains like… well, like something easily snap-able.**

**With 'Frick and Frack' on their way out of the door, Glory once more turned her attention to her latest plaything.**

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**Willow and Tara pushed open Spike's crypt door, sneaking a peek into the dank interior before crossing the threshold. Buffy and the rest of the gang, except Dawn and Anya who stayed at the house, had taken Giles' and Xander's cars to Rainbow Park to start a search for Glory's apartment. The idea that they'd find Spike before he could spill what he knew seemed slim, but Tara had realized that with something personal of Spike's, a locator spell might help speed things up. So she and Willow had swung over to the Magic Box with Giles' key and grabbed a vial of sand and a local map, jumped into her Escort and sped to Restfield Cemetery.**

**Crossing the expanse of cement floor, they quickly descended the rough stone steps into the personal area of the vampire's living space. Tara immediately went to a beaten second hand chest of drawers and opened the first one, looking for something that would make a good focus for the spell. Willow crossed to the bed and eyed the photographs arranged there. She gave a small smile at seeing Dawn, Buffy, Joyce and Xander surrounding the head of the bed.**

"**I've got something," Tara interrupted her musing. "A lighter; one of those non-disposable ones you buy fluid for."**

"**That should work," Willow nodded as she began to spread a map of Sunnydale on his bedspread. In short order, Tara had produced a small vial of red sand from her shoulder bag. This she poured, half into Willow's cupped palm and the other into her own other hand.**

**With their free hands, they each held a portion of the small lighter between them. Each was aware of the other on a mystic level as they quickly achieved the light trance state necessary. Once in sync, they focused each of their will on feeling Spike's aura from the lighter and sprinkled the dust onto the map. The candles that were always lit around Spike's living space reacted to the magic in the air, brightening as the flames towered several inches above their sources.**

**Less than a minute later and things had returned to normal as Willow and Tara opened their eyes. The sand had moved across the map and gathered in a small pile on one point of it. Willow immediately got on her cell phone as she and Tara ran for her car.**

"**Buffy, we've got it!"**

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"**Now, you blood sucker, what oh what will we do until Slutty's little boy toy arrives," Glory said nonchalantly while scraping her nails over his already wounded chest. "I bet you have some ideas; I'd just love to hear them."**

"**Since you asked, I do have an idea. How's about you tell me a story? Like how lame you'd have to be to get banished to this manure pile of a world?"**

"**What? Did you just try to insult me?"**

"**Oh, I think the insult is old news for you by now. What sort of bad ass can you be, if you got yourself stranded here? I know junior wizards with more talent than you."**

"**Shut up! Shut up this instant! I am a God and you will bow before me!"**

"**The god of what, exactly? Whorish outfits and bad perms? Face it bitch, you may have been somebody in whatever Hell you fell out of, but here, you're just an idiot."**

"**Shut up you stupid leech or I'll throw you out of the window," Glory screamed.**

"**Yeah, sorry about that, toots. I didn't realize that godlings these days had such wittle baby feelings. The Slayer is so going to kick that scrawny, lop-sided ass of yours."**

**Glory quickly felt her butt with her hands, a look of dismay briefly playing on her face. When she turned back to Spike, he could practically see her shaking with rage.**

"**I-I am Glorificus, the Mighty! No one speaks to me this way! And my ass is fabulous, just like the rest of me! A-And I command you to shut your mouth this instant!"**

"**Or what? I've been hit harder by toddlers," Spike spat at her.**

**As he had hoped, instead of simply ripping out his heart or following through on her threat to fling him out into the sunlight, Glory went into a spinning side kick. Pretty impressive actually, considering the dress she was squeezed into. Her heeled foot hit him like a runaway train car and he felt the chains holding him snap, along with his fractured wrist. Before he could fully process that pain, however, he was smashing through a wall and falling hard onto a carpeted hallway.**

"**Go get him," he heard her voice yell as he struggled to stand. As he stumbled in a half run/half stagger, the best he could do under the circumstances, he heard the patter of feet behind him. **

**In the penthouse suite, Glory began her march behind her helpers when she was seized with a wave of dizziness. Collapsing to her knees, she grabbed her head and moaned in anger.**

"**No, you idiot, not now…." And where Glory had knelt, now was Ben heaving for air in her outfit. Looking around at the shattered ruins of the wall and the lack of minions, he laughed a short and bitter sound.**

"**What's the matter baby, someone dishing it out for a change?"**

**As Ben was acclimating himself to the sudden change his body had undergone, Spike had managed to wrestle an elevator doors open. Unfortunately what met him was empty space. A quick glance down showed him that the car was below, several stories down. Behind him, the goon squad was shouting for him to stop insulting Her Most Grand by attempting to escape. With no choice, Spike threw himself into the elevator shaft and tried his best to brace himself for the impact on the car's roof. It didn't help; hitting hard he was reminded that his wrist was broken as well as being made belatedly aware that Glory's kick had broken some ribs and their grinding at his insides made him cry out. Desperate for blood and afraid of not making it out of the orc's grabby hands, he opened the hatch in the car's door and dropped down inside the elevator, barely managing to stay conscious as the urge to fall into the vampire's restorative sleep threatened to overcome him before he could reach safety.**

**As Spike punched the 'Door Open' button in the car, he simultaneously fell against the doors. When they opened seconds later, he fell face first out into the expensive looking lobby of the building.**

"**Spike," he heard shouted. He managed to open an eye to see Xander rushing toward him, axe in hand. He passed out, not knowing whether he was already dreaming or if Xan was really there. Nor if he was coming to kill, or to save him.**

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End Chapter 6


	7. The Rescue

**Songs of Pain and Comfort**

Ch 7 – The Rescue

**Xander ran across the lobby toward Spike when he was stopped short by a bolt fired from a crossbow hitting the floor just in front of him. Looking to his right, he saw Glory's minions rushing down the stairs and making a dash toward them. A quick glance in Spike's direction showed him the Buffybot had passed him and was kneeling near Spike's still form. There was no time for his hurt feelings, however, as he lifted his axe to confront a goblin with a sword.**

**Giles saw another of Glory's minions lining up another shot with a crossbow. As Buffy sped past him to tackle a female with a small hand axe, he focused on the pair of crossbow wielders. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he whispered, "Quasso".**

**Grono, side by side with Gren (aka Frick and Frack) aimed his crossbow at the Slayer (or unknown to him, actually the Buffybot) as she knelt next to the vampire. Guar was running for her with a long, curve-bladed dagger, but he would take the glory (no pun intended) of killing her for his own.**

**Gren had just loaded another bolt in his own weapon and was lifting it to train it on 'Xander', the Slayer's male companion. He'd missed with the first shot thanks to Grono, but now Goru had him distracted parrying his sword thrusts. Grono had shouted that Glory had wanted the companion alive, as if Gren was stupid or could have forgotten Her Most Effulgent's command. Gren wasn't an idiot; he aimed for Xander's leg.**

**Before either one could pull the triggers and send their lethal shafts into the soft human bodies before them, the bows of their guns shredded to rotted tatters. The shafts fell from the crossbows, ineffective. Neither wasted time with wondering what had happened. They recognized magic when it was bandied about, so instead pulled their daggers and rushed the nearest body.**

**Giles opened his eyes just in time to counter the attack of two screaming robed demons with daggers. Parrying he was forced to back away from their combined attack, but he was pleased that his spell had worked. At least they wouldn't be able to attack from a distance.**

**In front of him by perhaps six feet, Buffy was easily beating her opponents (Ginx and Gronx). She was punching and barely missing with the small hand axe she held in one fist. **

"**We need Glory," Ginx yelled out while diving for the floor to avoid a spin kick from the Slayer.**

"**I've hit my jewel," Gronx said before being punched to the floor. "Ow! She should have been here by now!"**

**Across the lobby near the elevator shaft, Buffybot was forced to drop Spike to the floor as she weaved and dodged the strikes of Guar's dagger. "I should have insisted on a weapon," she said worriedly as she tried to keep one eye on Spike. **

**Xander swung his axe around and barely missed the head of his opponent as Goru ducked. The imp tried to spear the human with a sword thrust, but the man had somehow managed to jump into a backward mid-air flip, landing on his feet beyond the sword's range.**

_**What the hell was that?! **_**Xander stood stunned by his physical feat.**

_**Teamwork, **_**Commando replied. **_**We told you before, Hyena's got the agility and I've got the skill. Now let's kick this twerp's ass!**_

**Xander gave a laugh that sounded rather hyena-ish to his ears and filled with glee for the fight went on the offensive.**

**As Buffy swung her axe in powerful blows at the lying prostrate Gronx, Ginx took a deep breath and muttered an incantation in a language unrecognized on Earth. Buffy heard it and as she saw the lemon yellow blast of light shoot her way, she threw herself onto the floor, allowing her opponent to regain his feet.**

**Giles felt the blast on the back of his neck, as it narrowly missed him by centimeters. Even so, he felt a sudden lurch in his perceptions and hit the floor, stunned and dizzy.**

**The beam traveled well behind Xander's back and he didn't even notice. He had dropped his own axe and was currently engaging in hand to hand combat using maneuvers he'd barely seen before, but knew well none-the-less. **

**Poor Goru had already been disarmed and was only seconds away from retreating or being beaten unconscious. The boy's psycho-laughter was unnerving.**

**The spell traveled a straight line and caught the Buffybot full force to the chest. She was knocked off of her feet and bounced off of a wall, falling to the floor on top of Spike's prone body.**

**Spike grunted in pain as he once again came to consciousness. He felt weight pressing down on his back and his ribs were screeching in protest.**

**Xander heard the commotion behind him and as his opponent took off, he turned to see the Buffybot lying unmoving on Spike's struggling form. Above them, another of Glory's creeps was readying his dagger to plunge into her back.**

"**No," he yelled and leaped, covering the four feet in a single bound. Landing hard on the imp's back, Guar was sent stumbling into the elevator car where he lay dazed. **

**Spike got the robot off of him and stood shakily. Seeing Xander, he asked for help and then lifted the Buffybot's unmoving form into his arms. It was a struggle to hold the weight and he stumbled as his damaged knee threatened to give way and pain clouded his perceptions.**

"**Buffy's out," Spike said as Xander joined him.**

"**Spike, it's okay, it's the robot!"**

**It seemed to Xander that Spike wasn't all there with him. His gaze was glassy and suffering was clearly etched on his face. Xan felt sick seeing the damage, while Commando began to list the injuries he could see.**

_**Yeah, yeah, we get it! **_**Hyena growled in his head, **_**Spike's gonna need medical attention and lots of blood. Let's get him out of here!**_

**But Spike refused to budge, crying that they couldn't leave 'Buffy' behind. Suffering from delirium, he refused to listen to Xander as he tried to explain that the Buffy in his arms was the robot. Finally, Commando shouted at Xander to just help carry 'Buffy' out so they could get Spike under the tarp in the backseat of his car.**

**Ginx yelled at Gronx to retrieve Glory and then she muttered another dark incantation. A heavy black net of crackling energy fell from above Buffy, pinning her to the ground.**

**Grono was unconscious on the floor where Giles had bashed him over the head with the flat of his sword. Gren took advantage of the old man's sudden collapse to rush up on him with his dagger raised above the human's back.**

"**Giles!"**

**Giles was lying on the floor, pressing his forehead on the cool surface and gritting his teeth. He'd had a rather large dinner the night before, for a change, and now it wanted to rush up his throat and onto the floor. **

_**That'll teach me to have more than my usual sandwich and tea,**_** he thought distractedly. When he heard his name screamed, he glanced up to see Tara with a look of panic on her face.**

**Tara rushed forward a few steps, having just arrived from the cemetery and now catching the attention of a repulsive looking demon with large dark eyes. It turned its attentions back to Giles, who appeared to be struggling to get up. It had a dagger and was ready to spear Mr. Giles through the back. Tara focused her will and screamed, "Discedo!"**

**From her outstretched hand came a bright green burst of energy that leaped the space between them. It enveloped Gren in a sheath of glowing green and then the imp was lifted and thrown away across the room. Hitting the tile of the lobby, he slid head first into a wall and was knocked unconscious.**

**Behind Tara, Willow scanned the lobby. Coming toward them was Spike carrying one of the Buffies and Xander holding Spike up. Willow sensed dark magic immediately, and saw another Buffy pinned to the floor of the lobby, a black crackling web of energy restraining her limbs. On the staircase, one of Glory's thugs had her eyes half closed and was chanting.**

_**Oh, no you don't,**_** Willow thought, as she raised her voice to the cathedral ceiling. "Se disperser ça magique," her voice echoed. Immediately, the strands restraining Buffy faded from view and Ginx stumbled back as if receiving a hard shove.**

**Buffy smiled back at Will with a quick wave as she regained her feet. She started for the goblin on the stairs, but the coward rushed off and Buffy didn't feel like running into Glory by following.**

**Xander stood by the back door of the Taurus, pushing Spike onto the seat and covering his smoking figure with a tarp. Even as he did this, with the Buffybot lying inert on the sidewalk, Commando listed the things they'd need for the vampire's first aid. Xander knew there was no fresh blood in the apartment and that was where they were going. There was no way he'd leave Spike in this shape in that mausoleum of his.**

**Buffy rushed out as Xander shut the door. In her arms was a stumbling and disoriented Giles. The witches were following close behind.**

"**Giles is zapped. I'll drive his car," she called out as she passed.**

"**Will, help me get the 'bot in your car. I've got no room with Spike stretched out," Xander said as the witches passed.**

"**Oh, uh, okay?" It took all three of them several attempts to get the robot into Tara's trunk and then they all sped away. Buffy and Giles, Tara and Willow all headed for the Magic Box while Xander went straight to his and Anya's home.**

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End Chapter 7


	8. Embracing Spike

**Songs of Pain and Comfort**

Ch 8 – Embracing Spike

**Xander struggled with Spike's weight and the tarp that covered them, threatening to blow off in the stiff breeze and leaving Spike in even more serious trouble than he was already in. When it wasn't threatening to take off on them, it was trying to blind him by falling over his eyes, or trip him up by wrapping around his feet.**

**Finally, he managed to man-handle Spike into the apartment lobby and he divested them of the heavy and bulky black vinyl. Letting it sit for whoever wanted it on the cheap lobby tile, he heaved Spike into the 'Handicapped Only' elevator for the ride upstairs.**

**While in the elevator, he ran his eyes over the vampire in his arms, being held up with help from the wall. He looked bad; blood was dried over nearly every surface of exposed skin and his T-shirt was still sporting fresh circles of red wetness. His skin was pale, even for Spike, and had an almost translucent quality to it; like it had grown so thin, it was becoming see-through. Finally, his attention was diverted again to moving the injured vampire when the elevator let them out several doors from his apartment.**

_**Is he gonna make it,**_** he wanted to know.**

_**We need to get him blood, Xan. Cow and pig isn't going to cut it. If he were human, he'd be in serious danger of coma and brain damage with this amount of loss, **_**Commando responded.**

_**Those pants legs first, guys, **_**Hyena added. **_**That leg is being squeezed like a rat in a python's grip. I hope vampires don't get gangrene.**_

**As Xander fumbled with the keys to get the door open while not dropping Spike, he managed to come around a little.**

"**Buffy? Buffy is out, Xan, we can't leave her," he mumbled.**

"**Shh-shh, it's alright Spike, we got her out. She's fine," he soothed.**

"**Wh-where are we? Where's Glory, gotta get away before she catches me!"**

"**Spike! Stop struggling! You're safe, it's okay. We're in my apartment. Just relax, let me help you to the bedroom."**

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**As the other members of the gang slammed noisily into the Magic Box, Anya and Dawn rushed out of their hiding places. Screaming savagely, they waved various implements from the shop at the group.**

"**Anya? And Dawn!? What the hell are you two doing here," Buffy asked. She'd left them at her house where they were supposed to stay put.**

"**Your house has no decent weapons," Anya complained.**

"**And we thought, better to be where the magical doo-dads were," Dawn added. "If I have to fight for my life, I wanted something a little more powerful than a butter knife."**

"**And you thought throwing Sandlewood incense would help," Giles asked, exhaustion and amusement vying for dominance.**

"**Incense," Dawn asked and turned to Anya. "You told me this was 'Ratareth scales'!"**

"**Well, that was supposed to be what it was," she complained. "Willow, you've been moving things again!"**

"**Never mind that now," Buffy waved away the coming argument. "This stupid robot weighs a ton. Help us get it downstairs with the other crap. I can't believe you guys didn't just leave it behind."**

"**Xander said Spike wouldn't leave without it," Willow informed her.**

"**That figures!"**

"**Buffy," Tara said with a touch of reproach, "He thought it was you. He's really out of it. He wouldn't let Xander leave 'you' behind."**

"**Oh. Well, could someone call Xander's apartment and check on them. Ask him if Spike can answer any questions. We need to know if Glory is hunting right now for Dawnie. In the meantime, Giles, I'm taking your car over there."**

"**Y-you will be careful, won't you? It was rather expensive to buy."**

"**Okay, for the last time…that accident while you were smooching my mother wasn't my fault. I'm a good driver."**

"**Speaking from someone in the passenger seat on the way here, I'd have to disagree," Giles said with a small smile. "However, you're right about finding out how much Spike revealed."**

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**The phone in the apartment rang on until the machine picked it up. In the bedroom, Xander stood over Spike with a pair of large scissors. He'd cut away the pant's leg and immediately the whole extremity had swollen to twice its usual circumference. He wasn't sure what he could do about it and Commando chose now to reveal that a Medic's degree wasn't in his arsenal of 'soldier skills', he could help out a bit, but combat treatment wasn't his specialty.**

**Xander put that injury aside for the moment and began to cut away Spike's shirt. The vampire grunted and hissed once when the material pulled away from his skin over his chest. He was attempting to morph, but the action was retarded by the deformity of his face. A moment later and he'd lapsed into a semi-conscious, but still state.**

**Xander hissed himself when he'd seen the damage to Spike's torso. Clear liquid was leaking from Spike's nipple, the entire area around it a large open wound. With a bit of effort it appeared they'd be able to remove the whole thing, if they wanted. Xander felt a wave of nausea, but Commando ordered him harshly to swallow it back. **

_**We need sutures, **_**Commando said.**

_**What did that bitch do to him, **_**Hyena whimpered/growled.**

_**Alright, **_**Commando continued, **_**we'll need some human blood for him. The sutures and some compress bandages. That whole in his gut needs to be packed and bandaged. His face…well, there's not much we can do about it. We'll find out from Giles if ice will help the swelling, but we'll need to wait before we can see if there's been damage to his eye. It looks like his nose is full of blood, but I don't see any fresh. That weeping wound over his chest has me worried, as well as the paperiness of his skin. I hope you can sew, Xan.**_

"**We can get that stuff from the Magic Box, except the blood. But I have an idea about that. I'm afraid to leave him though."**

_**We can't help him just standing here, **_**Hyena opined. **

**As Xander dithered over what to do next, there came a knock at the front door. He quickly crossed the apartment toward whoever had come visiting.**

_**Careful! It could be Glory, **_**Hyena warned.**

"**If it was, guys, she'd have already knocked it down."**

_**Her minions, **_**Commando thought.**

**As a second series of knocks sounded, Xander detoured to the kitchen and grabbed a butcher's knife. When he opened the door, all three of the personalities breathed a sigh of relief to see Buffy…or the robot? She was dressed in Buffybot's dress and jacket, but the worry in her face seemed all human.**

"**Hey, Xan. I need to see him," she said as she barreled in.**

"**He's not very coherent, Buffy," Xan sighed with irritation. "Can't this wait until I've got him stabilized?"**

"**No. And you know why. I'm sorry Xander and I don't want to be a bitch, but this is Dawn we're talking about. I need to know if her secret's blown or not. If it is…well, then the Hellmouth isn't shielding her secret anymore and I've got to make a run for it."**

"**Just go easy, huh? I've got to get to the Magic Box for supplies. Buffy…if he said anything…."**

"**I know. I saw him and I can't blame him if he cracked, but I have to know either way. I won't hurt him, Xander. You have my word as your best friend, okay?"**

**Once Xander left, Buffy took a deep breath and approached the bedroom doorway. She looked in to see Spike tossing and turning restlessly, muttering to himself that Glory was going to get him. It took a lot to suppress a few tears welling in her eyes. He was so hurt; so brutalized but there wasn't any choice for her.**

**She approached the bed and tried to stir him but when he opened an eye, the only one that could open, he didn't seem to register her presence. With hesitancy, she reached out and squeezed the abused kneecap, causing a shout of pain from him. But when he looked at her again, he seemed more 'there'. She somehow managed to smile beamingly, even though inside she felt a little sick.**

"**Hello, Spike! I wasn't sure I could find you. And here you are, covered in sexy wounds," she said, hoping she sounded appropriately cheery and blank at once.**

"**Robot? Thought you'd been blasted back at Glory's."**

"**My automated systems took some time to re-route my circuitry. I am glad that you are safe now, Spike!"**

"**Safe? Yeah, right, I'm feeling real safe right now. How'd you manage to track me down? I'm surprised the Scoobies didn't destroy you on the way out of the penthouse's lobby."**

"**Oh, they were busy with fleeing. And I found you by checking for you. Are you ready to ravish me now?"**

**She saw Spike grimace and thought she might have seen embarrassment. It was hard to tell what was going on when his face was so distorted by swelling and bruising.**

"**We talked about this, damn it. No more ravishing, no more cuddling, and no more kissing. I shouldn't have had you built in the first place. Where's Xander, I remember he was here…." he groaned and grabbed his knee before hissing with pain. "Damn, but Buffy was right. The godling can hit like a Mack truck on steroids."**

"**I saw Xander leave a while ago. That's why I knew I could visit you, Spike. Tell me, why did you let Glory put all these wounds on you?"**

"**Don't think I'd say I let her, but there wasn't much to do. She wants Dawn's secret; I couldn't let her have it."**

"**Oh! I know that Dawn is the Key, I can go tell her," Buffy said as she made to turn.**

"**No! NO!" Spike was nearly panicked and Buffy heart cracked a little to see the pain that suddenly raced over his face. Whether it was emotional or physical, she wasn't sure, but it felt genuine to her.**

"**Glory never finds out. Never, ever for as long as you exist, you bucket of wires. You got that?"**

"**I don't understand, Spike. If it will save you from further confrontations…."**

"…**I don't matter," Spike interrupted. "Only Dawn matters; I took an oath that she'd stay safe. I couldn't help Joyce, but by Hell's fire, I will keep her safe."**

**Buffy wasn't able to go on with the charade. A tear slipped down her cheek while Spike's eyes were again closed. He was lying awkwardly in a half-sitting position against some bunched up pillows and was shifting around trying to find a more comfortable position.**

**She approached closer to the mattress and sat down. Wrapping strong arms around him, she lifted him into her and reached around behind to straighten and stack the pillows before leaning him back gently. When she looked into his eyes, she saw his surprised realization.**

"**Buffy?"**

"**Thank you, Spike. Thank you for what you did for Dawn," she leaned over and kissed him briefly. "I won't forget it."**

**As Buffy returned to her feet and went to leave she stopped herself at the door's edge. "Xander will be back soon with medical gear. We'll look after you while you heal."**

"**Buffy, about the robot…."**

"**The robot is gone, Spike," she said harshly. "The robot was a violation of me. It was sick and it was obscene."**

"**I didn't…I wasn't using it for what you think. I mean, I was, at the beginning. But I'd stopped; I just talked to her…bein' alone all day in the crypt. It was just nice to have 'you' to talk to. I swear to you, that's all I've been doin'."**

**Buffy sighed and then turned to look him in the eye. "I believe you. But whatever you thought you were doing, Spike, it wasn't real. But what you did to keep Dawnie safe, that's real. Your friendships with Xander…and with the rest of us, that's real too. Don't forget that."**

"**I couldn't even if I wanted to. I…I need to get something off my chest, battered as it is. I think it's not just friendship with Xander, Buffy. I don't know what to do; you know me, love's bitch and all. But I think I might be in love with him."**

"**What?!"**

"**Yeah. Didn't realize it, of course. Not 'til I was hanging from Glory's ceiling. I'm really fucking things up, here, ain't I?"**

"**Please promise me," Spike continued, "You won't tell him? I need some time to think things through and decide what I'm going to do."**

"**Spike," Buffy sighed.**

_**Xander wants Spike; Spike wants Xander and I'm the only one that knows about both. I'm starting to wonder if there's a Slayer prophecy that says all my friends turn gay. At least Xander's record of seeing only demons remains intact.**_

"**I know it's a grand mess," Spike was saying during her thoughts. "I don't know how to make a ****little**** mess," he snorted.**

"**I won't say anything about it. I don't want to get in between whatever is going on with you two, but Spike, you need to talk to him. I mean, really."**

"**I'll think about it," Spike tried to nod before he realized it made the room spin uncomfortably. "Maybe after we defeat Glory's skanky ass, yeah?"**

"**I gotta get back to Dawn. Xan will be here soon," Buffy said as she turned to leave again. "Rest, Spike. You took care of her, now it's our turn to take care of you."**

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End Chapter 8


	9. Donations

**Songs of Pain and Comfort**

Chapter 9 – Donations

**The Magic Box door opened with a slam and Xander trudged across the expanse of floor without acknowledging anyone in the room. He made a beeline directly for the back portion of the shop, Buffy's workout room. The gang could hear the opening of drawers and the sounds of things being shuffled about.**

**The gang followed in his wake with Dawn leading. In the room, he was throwing items into a small sack. It appeared to be mostly bandages and cotton pads.**

"**How is he, Xander," Dawn wanted; no, she needed to know.**

"**He's hurt pretty bad but I think he'll be okay. I just need to borrow these supplies for him."**

"**Of course, Xander, take whatever you need," Giles stated. "Do you know if he told Glory anything? If Dawn is being tracked down…."**

"**Buffy's talking to him. She was wearing the 'Bot's clothing. Your idea?"**

**Giles nodded.**

**Xander next yanked out tubing and empty plasma bags. As he grabbed a large needle from Giles' emergency kits, the Watcher frowned.**

"**Xander, what the hell are you doing," he asked. The Scooby had sat down on a hand-me-down sofa kept against a wall and was trying to line the needle up with a vein in his arm.**

"**He needs blood, Giles. And the butcher's hand-outs aren't going to do it this time. I'm donating."**

"**I'm next," Dawn immediately exclaimed.**

"**Dawn, I don't think that's wise. Feeding Spike human blood could have longer term consequences."**

"**Giles, I caused this! He was…he's hurt because of me. I owe him this."**

"**I'm afraid I must insist that you at least wait for Buffy to return. And my concerns go toward you as well, Xander. This doesn't seem like a wise move. Spike has been weaned from the taste of human blood for nearly two years, to give him some now…."**

**Xander cut him off harshly as the needle entered his arm. The empty plasma bag began to fill with crimson fluid. "I don't care! He's in bad shape and he needs me."**

**Rupert sighed and turned away, re-entering the front of the shop. Xander glared after him, then turned his attention to the rapidly filling bag. Next to him, Tara sat and she took the tubing and held the needle straight that was still in his arm.**

"**Dawnie, there might be some juice or water in the mini-fridge. Can you check, please? I'll donate next, but we should use clean needles. Willow, we could use a cooler and some ice for the bags, please."**

"**I'll check our herbal supplies," Anya offered. "Maybe there's something in stock that can help with healing."**

"**Thank you, Tara," he smiled when they were alone.**

"**Mr. Giles is just looking after you, Xan. And he's not wrong; Spike may need human blood to heal, but that doesn't mean there's no danger, you know?"**

"**The chip is still there."**

"**We don't know that it hasn't been damaged. I saw his face, he's taken some strong blows to the head and much as I like Spike, I don't think we can fully trust him. At least not if the chip has stopped working or if it's been damaged in some way."**

"**He won't hurt us," Xander said with confidence. "I know him; he won't hurt us."**

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**Buffy arrived in Giles' borrowed car and sat for a handful of seconds parked. She wiped at her eyes and marveled that in her life she'd found two vampires who had acted as heroes. One she loved dearly and the other that she was coming to respect.**

**Coming into the shop, she found Giles fiddling with the bric-a-brac on the shelves behind the cash register. He gave her a small tight smile and then turned back to what he was doing.**

"**Did you get your answers," he asked.**

"**Yeah, we're good. Where is everyone? Is Dawn doing okay?"**

"**T-they're in the back. Dawn wants to ask you something; I've tried to dissuade her, but she is adamant for a fifteen year old."**

"**Okay?" Buffy had a small frown as she proceeded to the back room. The vibe she was getting from Giles was disapproving of something and she was almost afraid to know what was going on now.**

**In her work out room, Xander was standing with a cup of orange juice in his hands. Next to him, Anya stood sipping at a cup of tea. Willow was on the sofa and was flinching as a needle drained blood from her arm into a plasma baggie. Obviously they'd broken into the Slayer emergency care kit and it didn't take much for her to guess why.**

"**Buffy! Thank god you're here, Giles won't let me donate," Dawn complained. "And I'm old enough to make decisions on my own about my own body. And plus, Spike protected me and he needs my help now, and it's not fair if everyone can give something, but I can't!"**

"**Take a breath, Dawn," Buffy said as she stroked her long, brown hair. "First, Spike didn't break, so 'the secret' is still safe. Second, Will and Tara we really need some magic. Just because we broke Spike out, doesn't mean that she's done with any of us. In fact, it probably means the opposite. Anya, if your suppliers can come up with anything, I really need you to reach out. Third, Spike is going to need all of us to watch out for him for a while until he can heal up. Xander, can you keep him at your place? I don't think we should let him go back to his crypt right now."**

"**I was already planning on moving to the fold out couch. He'll stay in my room."**

"**Cool; okay, finally, I think all of us should give up something. Dawn, you can donate if you want, and I'm going to give next. Slayer blood should give him the boost he needs."**

"**Well, I'll do what I can to help except for that," Anya said forthrightly. "I'm sorry, but I agree with Giles; giving Spike the taste for human blood again is dangerous."**

"**For God's sake, Anya, he's not a wild dog!" Xander was glaring at her, but she refused to back down.**

"**No, he's worse! He's a vampire! A vampire and a demon and without a soul. And if he's staying, then I'm sleeping with that cross he gave you on my bedroom door."**

"**Okay, guys, fighting isn't going to help," Buffy said diplomatically. "Everyone has to make their own decisions about this, Xan. Spike is a demon, still. If Anya doesn't feel comfortable feeding him blood, then that's her right. Only a month ago, maybe even a week ago, I might even have agreed with her."**

"**Giles won't give either," Willow said as if she were almost embarrassed to be pointing it out.**

"**He has to have that right," Buffy re-emphasized. "And what we're collecting should do the trick, anyway."**

**When completed, Xander carried a cheap Styrofoam cooler about a fifth full of ice cubes in the bottom. On the ice rested packets of blood.**

**As Xander made his way toward the door, he glanced over at Giles but the older man avoided meeting his eyes. He could tell by how rigid he was standing, and wiping at his glasses that Giles wasn't at all happy.**

_**Well, fuck him, **_**Hyena thought harshly.**

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End Chapter 9


	10. Caring

**Songs and Pain and Comfort**

Ch 10 – Caring

**Xan rushed to the bedroom as soon as he got in. Checking in on Spike found the vampire dozing and twitching. He went to the kitchen next and unloaded the packets of blood into the refrigerator, holding onto the one labeled B.S.**

**After pouring as much as would fit into a coffee mug, he popped it into the microwave. It was all so familiar from the times when Spike was staying with him in the basement. He couldn't even recall why he'd started warming the stuff for him in the first place. Spike had known already how to use a microwave and Xander had had one plugged in downstairs. Somehow, though the vampire had gotten him to do the dirty work and then bring it to him. Xander smiled at the memory; they couldn't stand each other then. In fact, he still wasn't real clear on why he'd never staked the 'fanged menace', anyway. Probably because Buffy had insisted she needed information from him or something.**

**The microwave dinged, bringing him off of memory lane. Making sure that the remaining blood wasn't going to spill all over out of its bag he grabbed a dish rag, a bowl of lukewarm water and the mug. Balancing everything, he returned to the bed and sat down next to Spike's form. He looked like shit. Beat up, puffy, discolored shit. Xander reached out with just a small bit of guilt and shook him awake. **

**Spike reacted by trying to sit up suddenly, while morphing into his fang-face. Instead he's howled in pain as his features returned to human and he grabbed at his face. One of his hands flopped uselessly and Xander again had to swallow down some bile.**

_**We'll need something to act as a splint for that, **_**Commando pointed out a little needlessly.**

"**Sorry, Spike…I didn't mean to startle you, but you need to eat."**

"**The game face hurts," Spike mumbled. He still sounded mostly asleep.**

"**You don't need the fangs, Blondie. I've got a mug for you. Sorry, no straws."**

"**Hmm," he grunted as he accepted the mug. Spike tilted it to his lips and at first sipped, then turned to gulping. He was just over halfway through the mug when his eye popped open in shock, his red mouth open.**

"**This is human," Spike pointed out. "It's…Slayer?"**

"**Yeah, two pints of primo-Buffy on tap. You didn't look like pig blood was going to do a hell of a lot of good, Spike. We all donated a pint, well, except Buffy. Like I said, we've got two pints of her super-blood for you. Even Dawn insisted on chipping in. Now, eat up. I've got to grab the sewing kit and bandages and get to work on those wounds. Try not to move that wrist around until I can get it splinted. And we'll need to strip you out of those clothes, Spike. They're a lost cause, but I've got sweat pants that should be a lot more comfortable. We'll still need to split a pant's leg for your swelling. Your ribs aren't looking good either, suppose we should wrap them up."**

**As Xander babbled about the battle in the penthouse lobby and Spike drank a little more slowly, he began rinsing all of the caked and sticky blood from Spike's torso. He was extra careful around the torn nipple and the open hole in his abdomen, patting at it as best he could without causing more bleeding.**

"**I don't think I can manage back to the crypt on my own."**

"**Not a problem; you're not going back to the crypt. Not for several days, anyway. You'll sleep here and I'll take the couch."**

"**I can't put you out like that," he insisted.**

"**Spike, not only can you, but the decisions already been made. Don't argue. You done? Good, I'll pour you another mug and you can eat while I'm getting the rest of the gear to patch you up."**

"**I don't understand why Buffy…why you guys would…."**

"**It's not that complicated, Spike. The Scooby Gang takes care of its own, you know?"**

**Spike mulled this over for a minute. As Xander watched the gears turn, he grinned.**

"**Yes, you undead moron; in case you haven't gotten it yet, you're family now. You belong to us Spike, and just as importantly, we belong to you, too."**

**He turned away then to heat another mug full of healing Slayer blood. His mind was already racing on the suturing to come. He was nervous he wouldn't be able to do it, that it would be too icky and he'd embarrass himself by getting sick. Commando was a constant reassuring presence, however, quietly trying to calm his nerves.**

**When he returned and handed Spike his second mug, the vampire's hand grabbed Xander's. "Xan, this…this means a lot. I want you to know that I get how important this is. You guys, helping me after some of the stuff I've done."**

"**Hey, we help Angel and he tried to destroy the world among other, more painful things. I believe in you and I think Buffy does, too. Of course, she's still going to kick your ass for the Buffybot."**

"**That, yeah, not one of my shining moments."**

**There were some awkward moments as Spike hitched up his hips while Xander struggled with his too tight jeans. To relieve some tension, Xander quipped at Spike's fashion sense, equating it to being a gigolo.**

"**You could stand to wear your clothes a bit tighter," Spike replied good-naturedly. "Show off that package some, and your ass isn't too bad either. You just keep it all buried under yards of denim."**

"**Ugh. Please, the last thing that anyone in Sunnydale needs is the added horror of me trying to dress sexy," Xander responded with a laugh. **

**Any comment of Spike's was cut off by his hiss of pain. Finally the ordeal was over and the bloody and cut up black jeans were replaced with baggy and cut up light gray sweatpants. Next, Xander began sewing the skin around Spike's nipple as the vampire talked him through it. Apparently, this wasn't the only experience he had had with needing a little minor medical treatment. Once this was completed, which took nearly an entire hour he packed the hole in Spike's middle which still hadn't completely stopped bleeding.**

**Spike lay back, exhausted, but no longer starving. Xander sat next to him, looking down the bed at the swollen ruin of the leg. His eyes ran across the pale chest and the deep grooves there, but they were knitting up nicely on their own. He began, with apologies, to straighten out the broken wrist. He wrapped it tightly in bandage until he could get to the drugstore to buy a wrist guard for it.**

"**It looks like the other wounds on your chest are going to be fine without me. That leg, though? Spike, I don't know what to do about it. Do you think ice would help?"**

"**Just leave it, luv. It'll do its thing and be fine in no time. I could do with one more cuppa before I sack out though. But before you get up and get it for me, there's something I need to say about the robot."**

"**Spike, come on. I don't want the details; I'm pretty sure I get the gist."**

"**It's not what you think. I have a feeling I'm going to be repeating that a lot. I screwed up, Xan, but I haven't been…uh, using the robot, except to talk mostly. And practice fighting; that's it."**

"**It doesn't matter," Xander said. "The important thing is we got you out of Glory's clutches and you're back with us…with me."**

**Spike thought about that as Xander was busy in the kitchen. He wanted to tell Xander what he'd discovered about himself, now that the impulse to focus on the Slayer wasn't pushing his actions. He wanted to tell him about hanging in Glory's web, about the dream he'd had, and mostly about what he thought he might be feeling. He sighed in frustration and exhaustion. He really did need to sleep, and so did Xan, by the bags under his eyes.**

**When he returned, Spike accepted the refilled mug. This wasn't Slayer-blood, but he didn't know which one it was. "Dawn's?"**

"**No, I think this one is Willow's."**

"**Oh, thank god. Do me a favor? I know the Bit wants to help, and we'll tell her different, but could you dump hers out. I don't think I could stand to know I've drunk from my 'Bit."**

"**Not very vampiry of you," Xan said giving Spike's hand a squeeze.**

"**I'm not feeling very vampire-like right now, anyway. Feel a lot more like a punching bag that's been over used."**

"**You'll heal, won't you?"**

"**Sure, I will. That's what we do. Don't sweat it, Xan. I just need to sleep after I get done with this."**

**Xander's brown eyes caught Spike's blue one and both seemed held in place. Inside Xander's head, Hyena was telling him his moment had come. She was pressing on him to go for it, while Commando was 'holding his breath' in anticipation, wondering if Xan would do it.**

"**I'll leave you to rest then," Xan said quietly. Without really giving it any conscious thought he leaned down. Spike seemed to lean up fractionally to meet him. He briefly and gently, out of deference for Spike's swollen mouth, kissed him.**

**For a heartbeat neither moved or said anything. Then Xander was standing, "Get some sleep, Spike. We're sure to need your strength."**

**After Xander had left and closed the bedroom door behind him, Spike laid sipping his blood and staring at the door. Xander had kissed him. Xander Harris had kissed William 'Spike' Schellden!**

**He blinked in surprise; not only at Xander but at how…excited he was by the fact. Xander had kissed him and it had been…comfortable. It'd felt like they'd been working toward the moment forever and it was…nice.**

**Of course, then the doubt began to surface. Xander was homophobic. Not ragingly so, it was true. Spike didn't see him as the sort who'd hang around outside of bars with a baseball bat or anything, but still, it was there in him. How was he going to react to their kiss (our first kiss!) when it hit him?**

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_**Oh, my God! What the hell was I thinking? What in the hell made me do that? This is all your fault, Hyena! Spike is going to completely flip out. You just couldn't keep my lips to themselves could you? No, you just had to push and now what? You've completely destroyed the delicate friendship that Spike and I had! He's hurt and weak and needs help and you took advantage to lay one on him; what the hell is wrong with **__**you**___

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**Across town, the Magic Box stood with only a single occupant. The sun was still shining brightly, though it was low in the sky. Main street was buzzing with activity, but Anya had the lights turned off and the 'Closed' sign in the window.**

**Everyone else had left already. They were all exhausted by their all night search for Spike and his dramatic rescue, including her. But she'd wanted to clear up some things so that she could open the shop tomorrow with a fresh financial slate. All of her paperwork was now finished and she'd even managed to answer three emailed queries and submitted an online order for more newts' eyes.**

**Yawning hugely, she looked around the shop. Everything was cleaned up from earlier and she sighed. She was trying to come up with a reason not to go home yet. The thought of watching Xander making goo-goo eyes at Spike was hard to bear, but she was going to have to go back sometime. And it was her apartment, too. She had a right to be there just as much as Xander did. Maybe she'd find a wounded hunk and bring him home for a little nursemaiding…see if Xander liked that!**

**Glancing out onto the street, she realized she didn't want to deal with the people milling about. With a nod of her head, she headed for the alley door that exited from Buffy's work out room. Normally, of course, taking a stroll into the alley would be suicidal, but since the sun was out, she figured it should be perfectly safe.**

**Anya struggled with the key in the deadbolt to lock the door behind her. Muttering curses at the reluctant bolt, she smelled the scent of jasmine behind her. **

**A moment later and Anya screamed at the top of her lungs. On the street, no one heard her muffled cries through the hard hand that had covered her mouth.**

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End Chapter 10

**Spanderverse Series**:

_BTVS seasons 1-4, excluding Restless._

Spanderverse: To Dream - **removed**; it sucked

Spanderverse: After 314

Spanderverse: Spike

Spanderverse: Dracula

Spanderverse: Burial

_BTVS: Real Me_

Spanderverse: Confusion of Three

Preludes

Tensions

Old Friends

Hospital Visits

The Risks of Glory

Hunting Our Needs

The Family We Choose

Falling Apart

Sunnydale Antics

Feints and Counter-Feints

Pathways

_BTVS: The Body_

Coming Together

Songs of Pain and Comfort


End file.
